The Taliban governor’s office in Nangarhar says 500 kilograms of fish smuggled from Pakistan were seized and buried in the presence of a joint delegation.
Mohammad Wali Mohsin, head of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock in Nangarhar, said animal-quarantine staff intercepted the shipment at Torkham.
He told the Taliban-run Bakhtar agency that after the suspension of all imports and exports between Afghanistan and Pakistan, no one is permitted to bring in animal or plant products from Pakistan, “in line with Islamic Emirate regulations.”
Mohsin urged traders and citizens to conduct all commercial activities through “legal routes” and with “national interests” in mind.
The incident comes after the Taliban’s deputy PM for economic affairs on November 11 ordered traders to seek alternative routes. Abdul Ghani Baradar also asked Afghan medicine importers to settle any outstanding accounts with Pakistani suppliers within three months.
Baradar said Pakistan must guarantee that border crossings will not be closed again under any circumstances if it wants trade routes reopened.
Since that directive, the Taliban have been pursuing alternate corridors and are working to increase Afghanistan’s trade volume with Iran.
All Afghan–Pakistan border crossings remain closed to commercial traffic.
